Paul & Heather: What’s At Stake?

On Wednesday, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills announced they were separating after nearly four years of marriage.

And now, with a mind-blowing amount of money at stake, there is even more fallout from the split.

In fact, there is so much money at stake, it?s enough to make this the biggest divorce ever to hit a British court.

?In the United Kingdom, people can have pre-nuptial agreements, but the courts aren?t bound to honor them,? divorce lawyer Alton Abramowitz told Access Hollywood.

So what is at stake here?

Sir Paul is worth an estimated $1.5 billion, but British family lawyer Alan Kaufman said the length of the marriage is also important.

?The fact that it?s a very short marriage, that makes a very big impact,? Kaufman explained.

They were married just four years, but in that time, Paul has made an estimated $200 million. As far as real estate, Paul owns a home in London; one in East Sussex, Scotland; and at least two in the U.S. ? with one in Tucson, Arizona and one in East Hampton, New York.

?The courts seem to really reallocate assets in England much more generously than in the United States,? Abramowitz added. ?Two hundred to three hundred million dollars might be in the picture.?

Others speculate Heather could walk away with more ? as much as $376 million. That?s 25% of Paul?s? fortune (or $1.8 million for every week they were married).

And as for custody of their two-and-a-half year old daughter Beatrice Milly?

?I doubt there will be a fight there,? Abramowitz said. ?More often than not, judges favor mothers because judges were raised by their mothers.?